Language Learning DemosTry Before You Buy!

Buying a quality language learning method is the most important first step in
learning a new language. But be careful. Too many people spend too much money on
a language learning product without even realizing what it does or how it works.
Be sure to try many language learning demos, free lessons or free trial offers
before you commit to a purchase. It can make a very big difference in the long
run.

One common mistake many language learners make, especially new ones, is to
buy the wrong kind of language method for themselves. There are tons of language
learning products out there, and they all sound so great,but with a little
foresight and some research, you can be sure to get a language learning method
that's right for you.

I highly recommend to any language learner who is contemplating a new
purchase to first try out as many products as possible. Do a little research
into each method and look for a demo or free lessons. Many language publishers,
especially the most popular ones, offer a free demo or first lesson or two to
try out their product before you buy it. If they don't, you should think twice
about committing to something if it is a big purchase for you.

Why should you try out the product first?

You need to be confident that the language method is teaching you what you
need or want to learn.

Does it cover the kind of material you want?
Is it for travelers or is it much more comprehensive?

A course for travelers may have a greater focus on asking for directions,
hotel, airport, buying things, restaurants etc. If this is what you are looking
for, make sure the course you buy has this kind of material as its focus.

Or perhaps you are looking for something much more comprehensive. Does the
course cover lots of grammar, verb conjugations, tenses etc.

Do you want to learn to speak only or do you also need to know how to read
the language? This will have a big effect on which kind of course you want and
what material it covers.

By trying out the product first, you will have a much better understanding of
what kinds of material it teaches.

Is the learning style and format of the lessons appropriate for you?

The learning style of how the material is presented and in what format can
have a big impact on how useful it is for you. Is the type of language method
what you are looking for audio-based, book, computer-based etc

For example, suppose you just want some basic conversation skills in the
language, greetings, asking basic questions etc. So, you are not yet interested
in reading and writing the language.

And let's say you are going to be studying in your car, listening to audio
while you are driving to work. Pimsleurs all-audio course would be ideal.

But if you needed to learn how to read and write for business, Pimsleur would
not be a very good choice for you. Pimsleur is a great course, but in this case,
it wouldn't be providing what you need and how you need it.

By listening to the first Pimsleur lesson that you can get for free, you
would quickly realize whether the material presented was right for you and what
you need.

Is it cost-effective for you?

In some cases, a $15 book and 2 cd course might ideal for you. It would be a
shame if you found this out only after you had spent $500 on a software program
that you didn't like. The opposite can also be true. Many language learners have
spent hundreds of dollars on inexpensive course after inexpensive course, only
to find later that 1 $200 software method was perfect for them. Money and
aggravation could have been saved if they had only had a better understanding of
how each course worked and what they really needed to learn properly.

These are the questions you need to begin to answer before you commit what
could be hundreds of dollars and hundreds of hours of study time on a language
method. Do some research. Refrain from making an impulse buy. In the long run,
you will be more confident in your language method and in yourself. This will
translate into a much more effective and rewarding language learning experience.

Where can you find language learning demos and free trials of language methods?

One way to try a product before you buy it is to borrow it from a friend or
the library. Many popular language methods, including Pimsleur, Tell Me More and
Michel Thomas, can be found in the library, even if only in an introductory
course.

Also, many books and book and audio courses can be found on the library
shelves, just waiting for you. Living Language, Teach Yourself, Hugos and many
others are commonly stocked in libraries.

You can try it out for free, and then commit to a purchase if you find you
like it.

The easiest way to try language demos is to find them on the internet. Most
publishers of software language methods provide a demo, either online or
downloadable, so that you can try their product.

Here are links for demos of some of the most popular language learning
methods :

TELL ME
MORE is the best language learning program (in my opinion), but isn't as
well known as some other publishers. Look for it in your local library or view
the online demo of this great language program. Read my
review of Tell Me More to get an idea of what kinds of features this
language learning software has.

Fluenz is a newer publisher of language software but are fast
becoming one of the most popular. The online demo of their unique one-on-one
approach shows why.

Rosetta Stone is one of the most
popular and recognizable names in language learning. You can try out their
software with an online demo, or read my
review of Rosetta Stone to get a starting point.

Do some
research.

Scour the internet for user reviews of various products. There are lots of
language learning forums, websites and blogs, and there are is no shortage of
opinions on what is the best language learning program or course available.

Look for visitor reviews, user reviews, comments and ongoing conversations
regarding the language products you are interested in. Of course, beware of
reviews that appear too heavily biased in one direction or the other. They will
most likely have an ulterior motive to either heap undue praise on something, or
trash it as garbage. Take these reviews with a grain of salt. The more you know
about a language method, the better able you are to make your own decision.